The present invention can be applied to the field of containers, of the type constituted by a receptacle hermetically containing a product in a liquid, gas or pasty state to be distributed, and an end piece for distributing the product embodied at an upper end portion of the receptacle.
The invention is also applicable either to a container whose distribution end piece is simply made up of a retracted neck of a receptacle needing to be opened or closed, or to a vaporiser.
In this latter case, a pump is mounted, fixed or clipped in a known way onto the neck of the receptacle and can be manually activated by pressing on a thrustor comprising a spray nozzle, nozzle or delivery tube for freeing the product.
The pump can be activated by exerting successive pressures on the distributor end piece when the latter controls a pump.
Regardless of the type of distribution end piece at the upper portion of the container, it is still necessary to protect it to preserve the product in the receptacle or, in the case of a sprayer, to protect the thrustor.
This is why the containers comprise means for protecting their associated distribution end piece, generally constituted by caps able to be directly screwed onto an external peripheral portion of the neck which is threaded so as to co-operate on screwing with a corresponding threaded bore embodied in a bore of said cap.
Depending on the case, these caps could also be forcefully engaged by means of elastic catching means fitted inside the cap co-operating with corresponding rigid means obtained with material or mounted on the neck of the receptacle for receiving the cap.
The distribution end piece mentioned above, frequently used in the field of perfumes, also requires to be protected and for this reason, generally speaking these types of caps and mainly used to avoid accidental propulsions able to occur on the thrustor of the pump when the container is located in a luggage item, handbag or even in a toilet case.
Also, to ensure the general aesthetic aspect of the container, the pump must be hidden by a given cap when the container is placed on a support and is not used.
Of course, in the case of a cap for a vaporiser, it is also necessary to create closing means as mentioned above ensuring the effective link between the cap and the container, these means in order to be embodied resulting in the implementation of a costly and complex set of tools, also requiring specialised workmanship.
Moreover, for the user, all the cap closing devices involve rotating movements when it concerns a cap to be screwed or even axial forces when fixing the cap by clipping it onto the neck of the receptacle.
The object of the present invention is to offer a container whose distribution end piece would be effectively protected by efficient and functional distribution means not requiring any intervention or handling by the user and being implemented automatically.
To this effect, the invention concerns a container of the type constituted by:
a receptacle hermetically containing a product to be distributed in a liquid, gas or pasty state;
an end piece for distributing the product embodied at one upper extremity portion of the receptacle and constituted by a narrow neck of the latter able to be open or closed or involving a vaporiser by a pump mounted on a neck and able to be manually activated by exerting pressure on a thrustor comprising a spray nozzle, nozzle or delivery tube for freeing the product.
Means for protecting the distribution end piece.
characterised in that the distributor end piece protection means are constituted by a sleeve having a corresponding shaped section, able to slide freely on said end piece close to the upper extremity of the receptacle, by means of activation means belonging to it and also extend freely to the other opposing extremity of the receptacle, beyond its lower plane, so as to constitute with the sleeve, a sub-unit forming a certain mass free on ascent or descent with respect to the receptacle, so that said sleeve automatically ensures protection via the side peripheral covering of the end piece when the container is laid on a fixed support, or on the other hand when being freed at least under the sole effect of the inertia of the sub-unit when it is lifted up from said support, during use.
Indeed, the major advantage of the invention resides in the fact that the distribution end piece, such as a vaporiser, is effectively protected by the sleeve able to be automatically retractable and serving as a cap without actually being one.
The present invention also concerns the characteristics inherent in the following description and need to be considered separately or according to their possible technical combinations.